Steve Bannon
Steve Bannon, the former White House aide and close ally of former President Donald Trump, walked free from the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, on Tuesday after serving a four-month sentence.
Bannon, 70, was convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with subpoenas from the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
Federal Bureau of Prisons spokesperson Kristie Breshears confirmed Bannon’s release, which comes just one week before the upcoming presidential election.
The Trump aide addressed the public at a news conference in Manhattan later in the day and resumed hosting his political podcast, “War Room.”
“The four months in federal prison not only didn’t break me, it empowered me. I am more energized and more focused than I’ve ever been in my entire life,” Bannon said at his podcast.
Bannon’s conviction stems from his refusal to testify and provide documents requested by the Jan. 6 committee.
His stance led to two contempt of Congress charges: one for not appearing for a deposition and the other for withholding documents.
In July, he was jailed after the Supreme Court denied his request to delay the prison sentence while he appeals the conviction.
Outside the prison, the former Trump aide had declared his incarceration a point of pride, calling himself a “political prisoner.”
“I am going to prison. I’m proud to go to prison. If this is what it takes to stand up to tyranny, I’m proud to do it,” he said at a press conference alongside Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
Despite having left the White House in 2017, Bannon argued his defiance was justified, claiming the subpoena was invalid due to Trump’s supposed executive privilege—a point prosecutors contested, noting that Trump had not formally asserted this privilege in dealings with the Jan. 6 committee.
While Bannon awaits the outcome of his federal appeals, he faces separate charges in New York state court.
Prosecutors have accused Bannon of defrauding donors who contributed to the “We Build the Wall” campaign, which raised funds to construct a barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Bannon has pleaded not guilty to charges including money laundering, conspiracy, and fraud, and is scheduled for trial in December.
Bannon’s release signals his re-entry into the political arena during a pivotal election season, with Trump vying to reclaim the White House against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
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